Chapter 292

Chapter 292 – Egg White

“Deceived? That’s a bit of a harsh accusation.”

Aster had a multitude of counterarguments rising up his throat, but he forced himself to suppress the urge to shoot back.

The matter concerning the Third Princess took far greater precedence right now.

“The current state of affairs is quite problematic.”

“Is it truly that severe?”

“Yes. I had no choice but to intervene directly this time around, but if the situation collapses, it won’t just drag Salvatium down—the Second Prince will be pulled into the wreckage as well. By the way, you are familiar with Salvatium, aren’t you?”

“Not particularly. I’ve only caught wind of the standard rumors that circulate like urban myths.”

Aster had operated under the assumption that someone of Parun’s standing would be well-informed, but it appeared he was mistaken.

“Well, to put it simply, Salvatium is a faction of…”

To ensure the conversation could proceed without a hitch, Aster began by clarifying the nature of Salvatium.

He laid out exactly what kind of degenerates they truly were, how vastly they differed from what the public believed, and the specific sequence of events that had left him entangled in their web.

In truth, there was only so much detail he could provide, given that Salvatium’s ultimate objectives and the identities of its core members remained shrouded in mystery.

The extent of Aster’s knowledge was limited to their bizarre preoccupation with blasphemous concepts like the ‘Destroyer’ or the ‘Demonic Realm’.

At any rate, once the entire explanation had been laid bare.

“…Sigh.”

Parun had sparked up a cigarette at some point during the retelling and pulled in a deep, heavy breath, releasing a plume of smoke as his eyelids drifted shut.

The sheer volume of information seemed to make his mind reel, judging by the way he began massaging his temples.

“This is incredibly knotted.”

“Tell me about it.”

The issue extended far beyond the boundaries of Salvatium alone.

Decullan, the Second Prince, and Salvatium.

The entire web of conflicts spinning around the Magic Tower was an absolute quagmire.

Yet, Parun managed to methodically parse through the chaos. To begin with, his assessment of the Magic Tower’s current geopolitical landscape boiled down to this:

‘The opposition… Decullan, the Second Prince, Salvatium.’

Not a single one of those names could be dismissed lightly, but by a stroke of fortune, the forces on their own side were equally formidable.

There was the Lortel family, recognized as the preeminent martial house of the continent hailing from the east, and the Archmage of Conclusion, Muspellun.

If they managed to throw the Third Princess into the equation, the opposing forces might just reach an equilibrium.

Decullan ↔ Lortel, Archduke Muspellun

Second Prince ↔ Third Princess

In this configuration, the various factions would effectively neutralize one another, leaving only Salvatium as the wild card.

For context, Parun wasn’t operating under the assumption that Archduke Muspellun would step forward to obstruct the Second Prince directly. Doing so would signify the Archduke’s total immersion into the bloody war of succession.

Regardless.

A massive obstacle remained embedded in this plan.

“Let’s assume the Magic Tower forms an alliance with the Third Princess. Let’s also assume that keeps the Second Prince at bay. If that happens, Lortel becomes the primary complication.”

“…Lortel?”

“Precisely, Lortel.”

Why introduce the Lortel house so abruptly into a conversation regarding the internal power dynamics of the monarchy?

Aster found himself entirely in the dark, but he chose to hold his tongue and allow Parun to elaborate.

“Should it come to light that the Second Prince has trained his sights on the Magic Tower… our standing with Lortel could become highly problematic.”

“Does the Lortel house belong to the Second Prince’s camp?”

Parun gave a firm shake of his head.

“In alignment with the behavior of most major aristocracy, Lortel refrains from throwing its weight behind any particular claimant to the crown. However, that exact neutrality is the reason they would take issue with the Magic Tower linking hands with the Third Princess to push back against the Second Prince.”

“For what reason?”

“Consider the optics. If we proceed carelessly, the maneuvers of the Magic Tower could easily project the illusion that Lortel has aligned itself with the Third Princess as well.”

“…Ah.”

The realization finally dawned on Aster, prompting a soft murmur of comprehension.

Now that he grasped that vital piece of the puzzle, he could see how deeply convoluted the situation truly was, but Parun wasn’t finished.

“The royal lineage leaves the great houses unmolested—not merely due to the sheer military might those houses possess, but because they remain completely detached from the crown’s political maneuvering. But if Lortel appears to be upholding the Third Princess? That disrupts the calculus entirely for the court.”

Such a development would utterly shatter the precarious truce maintained between the throne and the high nobility.

“Furthermore, is a pact with the Third Princess even a strict necessity for us? The Second Prince currently lacks the breathing room to direct his malice toward our organization. Reaching out to her might do nothing more than unnecessarily draw his ire.”

It was a logical argument.

It made far more sense to overwhelm the individual wielding the blade rather than attempting to shatter the weapon itself.

However.

Aster shook his head in disagreement nonetheless.

“You don’t know the Second Prince’s temperament… the man is an absolute degenerate.”

“Hmm.”

“If the Third Princess is permitted to fall down the line, we will inevitably be the next target on his list. It is far wiser to fortify her position while we have the chance.”

“…Understood. Allow me to weigh the options.”

“Right.”

Following Parun’s remark, Aster folded his arms and stared blankly down at the surface of the table.

The translucent, dark amber glass bottle sitting before him contained roughly half of its liquid contents, and his gaze remained locked onto the fluid.

His straightforward strategy—to suppress the threats of the Second Prince by elevating the Third Princess—was actively unraveling.

Secure the allegiance of the Third Princess, and forfeit Lortel.

Reject her alliance, and withstand the onslaught of the Second Prince.

Parun broke the silence once more.

“When all is said and done, it remains wiser to avoid a pact with the Third Princess.”

The reasoning was clear.

The Second Prince represented a looming threat for the future, whereas Decullan was an active danger in the present moment.

And the animosity harbored by the Magic Tower toward Decullan ran infinitely deeper.

That was the conclusion dictated by logic…

“…So, if I understand correctly.”

“…?”

“As long as the entity involved isn’t explicitly the Magic Tower, the arrangement is acceptable?”

Parun tilted his head in sheer bewilderment at the absurd statement.

While Aster was no stranger to uttering nonsense, the underlying motive behind his words was exceptionally difficult to discern this time.

“What point are you attempting to make?”

“You are aware that the Finance Overseer has aligned himself with the Magic Tower, correct?”

“I am. The recent auction held within the Black-White Slums was orchestrated by him, was it not?”

Still, what was the relevance of bringing up the Finance Overseer at this juncture?

“A certain piece of information came to my attention.”

“…?”

“You know how commercial syndicates are slapped with heavily escalated tax brackets the moment their profits cross a specific margin? Certainly, the highly aggressive operations choose to keep growing their operations, but a vast number of merchants decline to do so. In those scenarios, what alternative do they turn to?”

Parun pinched his eyes half-shut as he regarded Aster.

Aster practically radiated self-assurance, entirely convinced that his impending revelation would dismantle the entire paradox.

What could he possibly be planning?

The solution was elementary.

“It’s quite simple. They establish an entirely separate commercial syndicate.”

“An additional… syndicate?”

“Yes. Though it isn’t an authentic operation in the traditional sense. What is the technical term for it…?”

He paused for a brief beat of contemplation.

A grin spread across Aster’s features as he spoke.

“A dummy guild.”

“A dummy… guild?”

Parun stared intently at Aster. Within moments, his features contorted, resembling the withered skin of a fruit left to shrivel beneath a scorching sun.

Yet.

In stark contrast to Parun’s visible dismay, Aster harbored zero hesitations.

‘A dummy guild.’

This exact financial loophole utilized by merchants to evade taxes would deliver the Magic Tower from its current predicament.

His inner pride gleamed brilliantly.

…As flawless and unblemished as the outer curve of an egg white.

When stripped down to its core, this was the framework Aster had devised.

In the same manner that merchants construct dummy guilds to divide their revenue streams and mitigate their tax obligations, the Magic Tower would simply fabricate a shadow front.

‘By utilizing that method, we can harvest all the strategic advantages of a partnership with the Third Princess while entirely bypassing any diplomatic friction with Lortel.’

And should the entire enterprise collapse…

‘If the project ends in disaster, we can simply sever ties with the Magic Tower and relocate our operations entirely to the shadow front.’

To rephrase the matter… indeed.

Operating out of twin primary strongholds.

Yet, no outside observer would be capable of discerning which structure held the true authority.

Why?

Because whichever entity managed to survive the conflict would inherently become the true center of operations.

But hold on.

Reevaluating the concept revealed a glaring flaw.

‘The property deeds would still be registered under the official title of the Magic Tower, wouldn’t they?’

What would happen if the Magic Tower faced total destruction?

Wouldn’t the real estate holdings dissolve along with it?

Aster’s gaze sharpened as he collided with this sudden logical roadblock.

He had just been basking in the satisfaction of a flawless stratagem, but the rigid realities of property law could not be ignored.

“Ah, what if we alter the approach to this instead?”

“…I harbor a deep desire to split your skull open just to inspect the mechanisms operating within.”

“What could you possibly be incensed about?”

Parun’s expression remained dark as he faced the entirely oblivious question.

“I comprehend the logic behind forging a shadow front. I recognize the practical applications. However… did the identity of the Magic Tower not carry immense significance for you?”

Parun retained a vivid memory of the past.

The burning intensity present in Aster’s eyes whenever the topic of the Magic Tower arose. The profound weight he attributed to every endeavor executed under its banner.

Therefore, setting all arguments of utility aside, he found the current behavior incomprehensible.

From Parun’s perspective, Aster’s current logic was akin to… disowning one’s own lineage simply to avoid taking offense when someone insulted his house.

Yet, Aster evaluated the matter through an entirely different lens.

“Is the literal title of the ‘Magic Tower’ what truly carries weight? Or is it the intrinsic value that I choose to invest within it?”

“Meaning… the ‘Magic Tower’ is nothing more than an external vessel meant to house that intrinsic value?”

“Precisely.”

At first consideration, it possessed the ring of a deeply philosophical truth regarding the nature of reality.

However, Parun found himself entirely unable to accept the concept, purely by virtue of Aster being the one to articulate it.

Regardless, Parun shook his head violently to dispel the oncoming migraine and abandoned any further interrogation.

There were countless details he wished to probe, but the individual standing before him was entirely immune to rational discourse.

Even so.

“…Simply proceed with detailing your strategy. What are the precise measures you intend to implement?”

“Ah, regarding that. Pay close attention.”

Aster went on to map out the ‘twin stronghold’ structural blueprint, and Parun listened intently, his brow tightly knit. Mercifully, Parun’s features did not warp any further into disgust.

By the time Aster concluded his breakdown, even accounting for the dilemma of the property deeds.

Aster gestured with his forefinger, drawing focus to the pivotal resolution.

“A remedy exists for this hurdle as well.”

“…Enlighten me.”

“So, the mechanism functions like this… Observe.”

The Magic Tower and Shadow Front A.

If either entity crumbles, the entirety of its assets—both the real estate and the physical structures—disappears entirely.

By nature, one side of the equation is forced to bear a disproportionate amount of risk, but Aster’s countermeasure was structured as follows.

“We establish yet another shadow front.”

“An additional one?”

“Precisely. Shadow Front B will exist solely to hold the legal titles to the real estate. Following that, both the Magic Tower and Shadow Front A will enter into leasing agreements to rent the structures and land from Front B. Under that arrangement…”

“Indeed, that minimizes the vulnerability if the situation implodes.”

“Is that not brilliant?”

“However.”

Parun brought forward an immediate vulnerability.

“Did it ever cross your mind that Front B could inadvertently reveal the hidden connection tying the Magic Tower to Shadow Front A?”

“…Ah.”

Upon hearing the point raised, he had to admit it presented a genuine complication.

The Magic Tower and Shadow Front A.

Both entities simultaneously entering into lease agreements with the exact same Front B?

It would look phenomenally suspicious to any investigator.

As Aster began straining his intellect to formulate a patch for the flaw, Parun intercepted the train of thought right at that moment.

“Consider this alternative.”

“What alternative?”

“Incorporate an additional front.”

“One more?”

“Yes. The Magic Tower secures a lease from Shadow Front A, while Front A secures its lease from Front B—no, hold on. The Magic Tower from A, and A from B? Let me recalculate.”

Parun lapsed into a brief silence, then resumed:

“Structure it so the Magic Tower executes a lease from A, while A secures a lease from Front C. What is your assessment of that?”

“Yes, that successfully resolves the issue…”

The complication had been bypassed.

The obstacle was cleared, yet…

A sense of apprehension began to take root.

“Is the framework not becoming excessively convoluted?”

“What part of it presents a complication?”

In response to Parun’s query, Aster scratched at his scalp in frustration.

“The bureaucratic process of registering these fronts… Ah, property leases are far more secure when maintained under individual names. Regardless, the sheer volume of administrative labor…”

There was an immense amount of work to navigate.

The moment an organization is brought into existence, it requires a baseline of legitimate operations to serve as a plausible facade…

‘Tsk, I have zero prior experience managing these types of administrative affairs.’

His mind felt cluttered with unnecessary stress.

As Aster remained locked in thought, Parun—who had been observing the internal struggle in silence—tilted his head sideways, his expression conveying total confusion regarding the source of the anxiety.

He offered his thoughts shortly thereafter.

“Why are you occupying your thoughts with those burdens?”

“If I refrain from managing it, do you intend to step forward?”

That would certainly be the ideal outcome…

Parun gave a sharp flick of his head.

With complete impatience.

And declared:

“We have the Finance Overseer at our disposal.”

“…Ah?”

“Based on your own descriptions, the man possesses an exceptional aptitude for these specific matters. Does he not? It is far more prudent to relegate the entire task to his jurisdiction.”

Aster’s eyes blinked in realization.

“I-Is that so?”

Parun shook his head a final time.

He reflected inwardly:

What a profound misfortune to possess an intellect burdened by such an inefficient ratio of mass to actual output.

Consequently, a distinct breed of quiet settled over the space between them.

Though these two individuals possessed radically divergent personalities, they remained united on a singular front: neither of them spent a single second calculating the sheer mountain of exhaustion they were about to drop directly onto the shoulders of the Finance Overseer.

…Not a single thought from either man.